Memories of Rain
by Green-over-blue
Summary: A short, sweet and angsty romance vignette I thought up while watching the DVD. Years after her time in Gaia, Hitomi thinks back on her past experiences with Van.


Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne – if I did, you'd know.  
  
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Vision of Escaflowne is one of my all-time favourite animes, and when I finally got the DVD box set in the mail. . .well, I just couldn't resist (even though I should have, as I have about five essays to write ~_^). But don't worry, the next chapter of "The Enlightenment" is still under works – I've been doing a little bit every now and then in between homework – and you can expect it sometime in May.  
  
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*Hello* --Stressed word  
  
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~ "Hello"~ -- Thought  
  
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*~*~*  
  
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Memories of Rain  
By Ethelewen  
  
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The old woman shivered as a cold wind blew over the hill, and clutched her weathered shall tightly about her. It would rain soon, she knew, for her old joints were sore and it would only be fitting for a time such as this. Chuckling softly, she remembered how she used to love the rain.  
  
Many years ago, when she was younger, faster, and more beautiful, she had gone on adventures. Distant lands, wide oceans, majestic forests – she had seen it all. And she had loved every moment of it. Yet, it was not as though she had been a particularly wild youth. Certainly, she had a taste for thrills and new, exotic sights, but she had gone on these adventures because she had had to. It was not her choice, at the time, to go gallivanting about, chasing ruthless villains and trying to save humanity. She would have done it anyway, of course, for she could never stand to see anyone suffer, but she would have preferred her adventures to have been calmer and less dangerous. Still, at heart, she was the type of girl who would do anything for her friends, even if it meant sacrificing her own happiness. And it was for that very reason that she had found herself in so many life-threatening situations.  
  
"Well," she thought as a sad, wistful smile rose on her weathered features, "maybe I didn't love *all* of it."  
  
Rather, it was a certain *someone* that she had loved, and it was he who had made all of her hardships bearable. Through it all, no matter how scared, tired, or discouraged she had become, she was always able to fall back on her guardian angel. She had loved him dearly, and she still did, and it was because of him that she had so treasured the adventures they had had together.  
  
Over time, the two had come to depend on each other, for war was never easy. Because she had never allowed herself to sit idly by while her love fought against the world's evils, they would often return from battle together, and when they were wounded, she would tend to him, and he to her. Nothing seemed able to defeat them. Even when he had been hurt to the brink of death, she had found a way to heal him, and he had done the same for her that one time, in those dark, haunting dungeons.  
  
Time passed, and soon the end of the Great War was in their grasp and she was filled with the hope that the idea brought to her. And yet, with each passing day, the ache in her heart had grown stronger; she had known that one day, when they had at last fought that final battle and had won, she would have to leave him. Truth be told, it was with bittersweet joy that she had returned to her angel's home, the enemies defeated and the world ready for its long-overdue time of peace. It was not long after that she had said goodbye to her love and had returned to her own home.  
  
For a time, she had been happy. She was able to push that lost, hopeless feeling to the back of her mind as she was distracted by her family and friends, but soon everyone's relief at her safe return had worn down and she had fallen into her daily routine. And then she had felt it. No longer able to ignore her broken heart, she realized just how much she truly longed for him; she had missed him so much that she had feared her very soul would break and shatter into thousands of pieces, like a mirror dropped upon a cold stone floor. But then one night, as she was sitting by her window watching the stars shine in the sky's inky blackness, a long, pale white feather drifted silently by, dancing on the evening breeze.  
  
Gasping, the girl looked up, and he was there. His wings reflected blue in the night, and an ethereal glow was cast about him as he gazed down at her, a deep sadness shadowing his handsome features. What she had thought impossible had become reality – against all odds he had come for her. Rising quickly from her chair, she opened the window for him with shaking hands, and moments later delicate feathers coated the floor as he entered and drew back his wings. She smiled as he stood there, simply looking at her, and her heart clenched when she saw his gaze rest upon her waist – she had not been eating much lately, and she was painfully aware of how her clothing hung loosely from her body. Fighting back the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks, she had torn her eyes from his to take in the sight of him, to see if he was truly there, and noticed with shock that he too looked thin and wan. Looking questioningly into his eyes, she saw the tears that had welled there. Her breath caught in her throat. Then, as she felt her own tears slipping slowly down her cheeks, he told her that though he could not bear to be without her, he could not leave his people. And seeing the torment in his eyes, she knew what he was asking her and what she had to do. So, saying goodbye to her family for the last time, she had gone with him.  
  
Years had passed, and though she had missed them greatly, she had never regretted her decision. For the first time in her life, the woman had known true happiness.  
  
Presently, a small fleck of moisture landed on her nose, pulling her from her reverie, and the old woman looked up into the evening sky. There were no clouds, and the setting sun had painted it with orange, pink, and violent hues. A few bright stars were visible, shining faintly by the two moons.  
  
Hitomi sighed sadly as the rain fell at last, and lowered her head to gaze at the earth beneath her.  
  
Many years ago, she had loved the rain. When she was young, when she had gone on so many adventures, and had slept beneath the night sky. Some nights, when the air had been heavy and the wind blew fiercely through the grass and the trees, and storm clouds hid the bright stars, it had rained. But it was those nights that she had loved the most, for it was on those nights that her angel would come and, taking her in his strong arms, holding her gently, he would sit with her to keep her warm. Even now she could see the majestic wings above her, tinted light blue and grey from the twilight sky and shielding the pair from the thick downpour. Even now, after so many years had passed and she had become old, her memory slowly dwindling away until she could hardly remember the sights and sounds of the Mystic Moon, she could still see his dark eyes gazing down at her, love and devotion written plainly in their depths, she could still smell his fresh, cinnamon scent and feel his warmth, his gentle strength as he held her in his arms.  
  
"Oh, Van," she said, as she held the snow-white feather tightly in her gnarled hands, bringing it up and pressing it against her heart, "why did you leave me?" Tears pooled in her eyes and her voice broke as she knelt upon the fresh-laid earth; slowly, her eyes fell on the cross before her, and she struggled to read the inscription through her tears.  
  
Here lies Van Fanel, Beloved King of Fanelia  
  
With shaking hands, Hitomi reached into the deep pocket of her dress and placed her old pendant on her husband's grave, ~"When you come to bring me home again, Van, you can give this back to me..." ~  
  
Silently, a young, dark-haired man kneeled down beside her and placed his hand gently on her shoulder. "Please don't cry, Mother. Father always hated it when you cried," he said softly as he brushed her tears away, "he would want you to smile." When she did not respond, he looked into her eyes and his heart clenched; where they had once been bright and full of life, they were now blank and grief-stricken. Prince Amano sighed sadly and, his own tears falling freely, lifted the crying woman from the ground, holding her tightly to his side as he led her away.  
  
"Please come, Mother. . .It's raining."  
  
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*~*~*  
  
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Well, that's it. I hope you enjoyed it, please review.  
  
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